Knitting-machine needle.



E. E. RANDALL.

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE.

APPLICATION FILED PEB. 1a. 1914.

Elf/ISDN E. E-A-BALL, 13E KANKKEE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNGR TO PARAMOUNT KNITTING COEPANY, @E CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

KN'IJTIiBl'G-TIIACHINE NEEDLE.

imanes?.

Speccaten of Letters Patent.

Patented Deo. .157

Application led February 19, 1914, Serial No. 819,614.

Be itknown that lfimsox l. liinnivm., a Citizen of the li'nited Stat s. and resident of Kankakee, county of 7ankaltee. State of illinois. have invented an :improvement in linittinqdaehine Needles. of which the 'fob lowing lleseription. in '.:ouneetiou with the aeeompanying drawing. is a specification, like haraeters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to a knitting maehine, and partieularly to the needle and the means for operating it. and is an improvement upon the invention (.lisclosed in Pat ent lo. LOSlliQlir?. granted lvlay lil. 15H-l. to Pope and Randall (now applieatiiu. Serial No. 535.5523. tiled Deeeniber 2S. lll'fll). A knitting machine needle of this type is made up of two separate indopt dently movable members one forniel to present the usual hook aud termed the hook member. and the other perfm'nring` the funetion of 'the usual latch and termed the latch member The tw needle meuibers are uuumtevfl in super-impe; d `grooves formed in the needle eyliuder or needle bed with thvg'roove for the latch member nz'irrower than that for the hook member so that the two members are kept. entirely separate.

The present invention is espeeiallj. eoneeiined with two features of improvement. lirst, in means for preventrg the point of the latch member from passing the bark or rear face of the hook member, and second, in the provision of ele-arance between the forward portion of the shank of the lateh member. and the (.pposingv wall of its `groove.

vWhen the longitudinal movement of the needle .is a considerable one such for example as that which takes place 'in the cylinder needles of an ordinaryl knitting' machine. there is nothing in certain positions of the needle member to limit the transverse movement of the needle members eX- eept the construction of the machine itself. VUnder these Circumstances by reason of the hook member swinging away from the needle bed or from other causes the needle members are liable to become separated transvrsely and upon the retraeting move,- ment of the hook member the point of the latch member will pass to the rear of the hook member, not only rendering the knitting imperfect but frequently breaking the needle. It is important also that clearance shall be provided between the latch member and the rear wall of the groove in which it is loeated to take eare of the fibers and dirt which might otherwise elogi' the groove and hinder or prevent the movement of the The present ni# ina V tion and drawings and will be partieularly defined in the appended claims.

The drawings represent a preferred form of needle embodying the invention together with so much of an ordinary knitting' machine as is involved in connection therewith.

ln the drawings. Figure i is a view chiefly in vertical Cross `eetion of the upper portion of the needle and earn cylinders of an ordinary t-vpe of plain Circular lv'nittiugi` mar-hiue showing;I needles of the preferred form of this invention in posit-ion: Fig. 2 is. an enlarged detail partially in longitudinal cross-nation of the upper portion of the hook aud latch members of a preferred form of needle embodying the invention; Fig", 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showingr the menr bers in different position: Fig'. 4 a view in transverse eross-seetion taken on the line ;\-.i. Fig. 2; Fig: 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4. showingr a slightly different form of latch meinberrand Fig. is a view similar' to Fig. 1i showing another form of latrh member.

The general construction of. the xnaehine and needle herein illustrated is similar to that disclosed in the aforesaid patent so that it is unneeessary to describe it in detail.

The needle cylinder is indicated at l and the cam cylinder at The hook member of the needle f3 is of praetieally the same form as the corresponding' member of the ordinary pivoted lateh needle comprisingthe, hooked end 4. the shank and the butt all of whieh parts vary in length. shape and proportion. according),` to the particular style of needle. The book member is slotted transversely at (3 near its forward end, and this slot is preferably made in a form of a saw kerf entering the hook member from the front. or faee so that the end walls of the slot converge rearwardly and present at the rear surface of the hook member shoulders 7 and 8. The hook member is mounted to slide' longitudinally in a groove 9 formed in the usual .manner in the exterior surface of the needle cylinder The latch member preferably made of sheet metal and of a thickness which will allow it to move readily/within the slot .6 of the hooi; member comprises a head 1l and a tail 12. lt is mounted to slide in a longi-y tudinal auxiliary groove 13 vformed in the needle cylinder directly and centrally bach ot or beneath the hook member groove 9. '.llhc head of the latch member is provided with upper and lower or forward and rear cam surfaces 1st and lo, respectively, and with upper and loweror forward and rear shoulders .1.6 and 17, respectively. The tail of the latch member at its lowei` or rearward end is preferably bent as indicated at 18 to securefrictional engagement with thfel walls et' its groove.v

The operation of the needle is iiully explained in the aforesaid patent. Starting l with the osition shown on the lett hand side of Fig.' 1, or in Fig. 2, the yarn is i'ed beneath the hook 4, the hook member is retracted by the cam 5- until the shoulder 7 engages the cam surface 14 when the latch .'rnember is moved laterally or transversely of the hook member within the ,slot so as to-project the latch end or point 19 in position to cover the hook, as shown in Fig. 3; the shoulder 7 is then in engagement :with the shoulder 16, and the two members are then retracted or moved downwmdly until the 'limit of movement is reached. lhen the hook member rises or is moved forward it moves independently of the .latch member for a. distance and then the shoulder engages vthe cam surface l5 moving the latch member laterally or transversely rearward until the shoulder 8 contacts with the shoulder 17 when the parts are again in the positionshown in Fig. 2.

The hook member especially in a cylinder needle has a considerable longitudinal moven ment and a greater movement than is necessary to secure the coperative action of the latch and hook. This results inv a separation longitudinally or" the end 19 of the latch and the shoulder '7 of the hook member. as i i example., in Fig. 2., so that when i member i" ven its downward or retrscting'movement the end 19 .ot the latch is likely' to to the rear the hook member,and consequently to the rear of the shoul d rl'. This may be caused by a transverse overnent ofthe'latch member in its groove or by the hook member being tipped away from the needle cylinder in the operation of the machine, or by other conditions. When it happens the latch member obviously fails to cooperate with the hook, the knitting is rendered imperfect and the needle itself is usually broken and serious damage may result to the machine. One 1feature of n. i, rasee? this invention is, therefore, the provision ,of moans forpreventing the latch end from passing the rear of thefhoolz member. This' y is secured in the construction illustrated by providing the head of the latch member with l a projection adapted to engage the face of the hook member, and thusv positively prevent the latch member from moving transversely to the rear of the hook member to such an extent as to cause the end 19 of the latch to pass behind the'shoulder 7.- ThisY projection may be formed in'various ways.

ln the preferred form illustrated in Figs. 1

to 4 inclusive, it is shown as a small. rivet 2Q, in Fig. 5 it isshown as an integral projection 21 from .the head of the latch member such as would be formed by a punch, while inv lFig. 6 it is shown at 22 as formed by the vwhich may clogV the working parts unless taken care of. One feature of the invention consists in proyidinga clearance between the latch member and'its groove so as to prevent this rather line and delicate part from becoming clogged. This is secured by inclining the rear face of the shank or tail of the latch member aty its upper portion, or lin other words, reducing the width of the shank or tail of the latch member atvits upper or forward portion toward its upper or forward end. This will be seen in Fig. 1 where it will be noted that the forward or upperI end of the tail ot the latch member is narrower in width than the lower or rearward end, thus providing the clearance 23.

This is possible because by the other feature i of the invention means are provided whichV limit the rearward transverse movement of the latch member. Otherwise this clearance could not be provided because the latch member might move rearwardly at its upper end and the latch end would then pass behind the shoulder 7 rendering the needle inoperative. lllhen the projection 20, 21 or Q2 is in engagement with the tace of the hook member the distance between the said projection and the rear ot the shank of the .latch member is less than thatl between the Having fully described my invention, what .l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A knitting machine needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a latch member having relative longitudinal and transverse bodily movement through the slotted portion of said hook member into and out ot' coperative relation therewith, and means to prevent the end 'ofthe latch from passing behind the back of the hook member.

2. A knitting machine needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a latch member having relative longitudinal and transverse bodily movement through the slotted portion of said hook member into and out of cooperative relation therewith, and a projection on said latch adapted to engage the face oi.: the hook member and prevent the end of the latch from passing behind the back of the hook member.

il. A knitting machine needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a latch member having relative longitudinal and transverse bodily movement through the slotted portion of said hook member into and out of coperative relation therewith, and means for preventing the end of the latch member from passing to thc rear of the 1forward wall o the slot of the hook member when the said latch end and wall are separat-ed longitudinally.

et. In a knitting machine, a knitting machine needle comprising a hook member slotted longitudinally, a latch member pio jecting into said slot and provided with cam surfaces coperating respectively with the wells et said slot whereby upon the tori rd movement of the hook member the lazch member will be drawn into the slot, and upon the retraction of the hook member will be projected through the slot to cover the hook, a projection on the latch member to enga the tace of the hook mem ber and prevent the end of the latch member from passing behind the 'forward Wall of said slot when the said latch end and wall separated longitudinally.

in a knitting machine, a needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hook membenI a separate latch member movable longitudinally and laterally in said slot to cover and uncover the hook, a needle bed provided with superimposed grooves one for each of said members, the forward portion of the tail of the latch member being of less width than the depth of its groove whereby clearance is provided, and means for preventing the end of the latch member from passing to the rear of the hook member.

6. In a knitting machine, a needle comprising a longitudinally slotted hook member, a separate latch member movable longitudinally and laterally in said slot to cove' and uncover the hook, a needle bed provided with superimposed grooves one' for cach of said members, the forward portion of the tail of the latch member being of less width than the depth of its groove whereby clearance is provided, and a projection on the latch member adapted to` engage the face of the hook member and limit the rearward lateral movement of the latch member.

T. In a knitting machine, a needle com prising a longitudinallyslotted hook member, a separate latch member movable longitudinally and laterally in said slot to cover and uncover the hook, a needle bed provided with superimposed grooves, one for each of said members, the width of the latch member being reduced toward its forward end to provide clearance between the forward portion of the latch member and the rear wall of its groove, and means causing the needle members to engage in the latter portion of their retraeting movements to limit the rearward lateral movement of the latch member and preserve the said clear`- ance.

8. n a knitting machine, a knitting' machine needle comprising a hook member slotted longitudinally, a latch member projecting into said slot and provided with oppositely disposed cam surfaces and shoulders cooperating respectively With the .Walls of said slot whereby upon the forward movement oi the hook member one cam surinto the slot, one shoulder will act to cause the `forward movement ot the latch member by the hook member, and upon the retrac tion of the hook member the other cam son face will act to cause the latch member to be projected from the slot to cover the hook and the other shoulder will act to cause the latch member to be retracted by the hook member without contacting with the hook, means for effecting the movement of the hook member, a projection on the latch member extending over the face of the hook member and acting to prevent the end of the latch from passing in the rear of the hook member. i

ln testimony whereof, have signed my name to this specication, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDISON E. RANDALL. lVitnesses:

HENRY O. Wannen, SELMA ANDERSON.

race will act to withdraw the latch incmber 

